El Oso Mine/Indian Ruins nearby? Question by kpomm

[kpomm]

Am looking for information on trail to El Oso Mine and nearby Indian ruins. Haven't been up the Four Peaks road for a few years and wonder where the trailhead parking is for that area. Does anyone have any information? Thanks in advance.
kpomm

[CannondaleKid]

@kpomm I've been up that way numerous times and have been in the mine a couple times but have never seen or heard of any ruins sites nearby.

I'm not aware of any hiking trail to the mine, possibly because I've always driven to it...
1. Take Four Peaks Road (FR #143) from 87 up to the ridge
2. Turn LEFT onto FR #422 and continue 3 miles
3. Turn RIGHT onto FR #422A and continue .6 mile
4. Continue STRAIGHT onto FR #463 for .3 mile to the mine.

El Oso Mine coordinates: 33.753685 -111.377651
There is no parking area as such, just find a wide part on the road should another vehicle need to pass.

CAUTIONARY NOTES:
- If road is dry, a stock SUV can make it to the FR #422/FR #422A intersection (1 mile hike to mine from here)
- A stock high-clearance 4x4 may be able to reach the mine
- DO NOT ATTEMPT continuing north from the mine on FR #463 in hopes of rejoining FR #422 near the Jolene Mine
- Even in the best of conditions, continuing the last mile on FR #463 will require a SERIOUS 4x4 preferably with front & rear lockers.
- If you continue to the end of FR #463, your vehicle WILL sustain serious Arizona pin-striping and possibly some body damage.

Videos:
Exploring El Oso Mine
My Samurai on FR #463
The 'fun' begins around the 2-minute mark.
Don't let the video fool you, it was VERY slow going... my average speed was just over 3 mph.

[joebartels]

@kpomm The trees along FR463 are welcoming as most of the Mazatzal range is torched. As @CannondaleKid mentions the road is terrible in one section. Even hiking it is sketchy.

El Oso Mine was a scheelite mine with six veins.

No clue on native ruins. There was a plane wreck a couple miles away in May 1954.

[kpomm]

Thanks, CannondaleKid. I'll take your advice, park and walk since I know my car would be a casualty on that road. Couldn't get the video on the mine to load for some reason, but I enjoyed the forest road ride. Still fascinated with that area, Boilder Bo, the Ballentine cabin, etc. ther's much to see and do. I appreciate your help.

[CannondaleKid]

Couldn't get the video on the mine to load for some reason

Sorry... I didn't post much on YouTube back then. The video should work if your browser has a Flash plug-in.

I just found my original video files so I'll recompile and upload it to YouTube.
DONE! (The link in the previous response now goes to the YouTube video)

[kpomm]

Thanks, Cannondale, for the video tour of the mine. The YouTube version works on my computer. And Joe, thanks for the info on the mine's ore. After seeing photos, I realize that I've seen quite a bit of scheelite in Az in various places. The Four Peaks area is great and all the forest roads - some accessible, some not - between it and 87 offer so many possibilities for hikes. I appreciate the input from both of you.Bad typing last time - Boulder Bob is what I meant, not the misspelled version.
kpomm

[cw50must]

My Samurai on FR #463The 'fun' begins around the 2-minute mark.Don't let the video fool you, it was VERY slow going... my average speed was just over 3 mph.

Thanks for the video, I haven't been up there since probably '07-'08ish and I have been wondering how its been. That gives me a good idea.